Missouri Will Export Log Homes to China

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NEW BLOOMFIELD - Lynn Gastineau, of Gastineau Log Homes of New Bloomfield, returned back to Missouri on Tuesday after signing a trade agreement in Shanghai to export her company's pre-cut log homes to the country.

Gastineau accompanied Governor Jay Nixon and other state officials on the trip to China as a part of the Governor's trade mission to China. During their visit, Missouri reached an agreement with the Chinese government to export $4.4 billion worth of products to the country.

The Missouri Economic Development Office in Shanghai has acted as the middleman throughout the process with Gastineau Log Homes. "They made arrangements for Mr. Zhang to come visit us in the United States and it's been about two years that we've been talking and working through logistics. Finally it all came into fruition and we'll ship our first house in January," Gastineau said.

The company pre-packages all the containers that will be sent to China. The containers include individual logs, which only make up about 25 percent of the total package. The rest of the package includes materials such as the roof system, the shingles, windows, doors, interior trim, stairs, and railing.

The Chinese have shown a high amount of interest in the log homes. "They see our housing when they visit, and on TV, and they want an American house," Gastineau explained. There is also a high demand because the required materials such as the wood and timber are not available in China.

She also said this will have a very good impact for the Missouri forest industry. "This business, when it starts booming, will affect all those people working in manufacturing plants, sawmills, the loggers that are cutting the trees, and even the landowners that own the timber," Gastineau explained.